Alphonse Island World Famous Fishing Destination

Alphonse Island World Famous Fishing Destintaion

From the waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Venezuela via the Bay of Biscay, renowned fisherman, Keith Rose Innes and his talented and passionate team have searched the waters across the globe to seek the finest salt-water fly fishing destination and found it in the Seychelles. Located 400km from the mainland of Mahé, Alphonse Island is considered one of the top three salt-water fly-fishing destinations in the world. What makes this destination exceptional is the ethos: The Alphonse Fishing Company is built around the simple principal of the best fishing destinations in the Seychelles run by fishermen for fishermen.

The Alphonse Fishing Company has the most experienced recreational angling team in the whole of the Seychelles, with more understanding and years on the outer islands than any other organization. 36 guides, captains, deckhands, managers and specialised staff that run The Alphonse Fishing Company operations are not only dedicated but also extremely experienced with hundreds of thousands of hours as a team under their belts. To compliment this team, The Alphonse Fishing Company has 38 purpose built boats of various sizes that play a vital part in accessing the various fishing areas whether they be on the flats or in the open ocean.

What truly distinguishes the Alphonse Group of Islands as one of the most outstanding and notorious fishing destinations in the world is its combination of comfortable hotel accommodation alongside the opportunity to fish three different locations comprising of Alphonse Island, St Francois and Bijoutier.

Alphonse Island features a single, exclusive resort comprising Beach Bungalows and Beach Suites built alongside the water’s edge, each with spectacular ocean views. Guests can choose from various packages that involve a full week’s fishing excursion on St. Francois and Bijoutier, or a leisure package that includes the magnificent fishing on Alphonse. The unspoiled waters surrounding the Alphonse Atoll’s are home to the most incredible variety of bluewater fish species, translating into a great destination for offshore fishing. The structure and sheer drop-offs attract a variety of pelagic fish species: sailfish, wahoo, dogtooth tuna, yellow fin tuna and dorado can be targeted on any given day.

In addition to the fishing in and around the Alphonse Group of Islands, angling enthusiasts can also experience the thrill of the waters of Astove, which is situated 1055km South-West of Mahé and Cosmoledo, located 1030km South-West of Mahé. Astove and Cosmoledo have a wild and unspoiled environment and are part of the Aldabra Group of Atolls. Pure and pristine are the most befitting words to describe these two magnificent atolls.

The Coral Lodge at Astove only caters exclusively to six guests per week. The newly-built lodge is comfortable, accommodating its guests in single, air-conditioned, en-suite rooms that surround the central courtyard.

Sheer drops offs and a small entrance with a shallow lagoon that is a sanctuary for juvenile and trophy size fish make fishing at Astove a truly unique experience. Surrounded by flats with deep drop-offs, Astove is petite yet is one of the most thrilling and exciting angling encounters for fishermen and women across the globe.

Known as the ‘GT (giant trevally) Capital of the World’, the waters surrounding Cosmoledo are abundant with this specific species of fish and it has become the benchmark for anglers searching for an outstanding saltwater flats fishing experience. The sheer numbers and variety of GT’s has had the fishing world hooked with anglers from across the globe queuing up to sample this ultimate fishing playground. Other species that can be found amongst the waters of Cosmoledo in impressive numbers are: large bone fish, blue fin trevally, barracuda, milk fish the indo-pacific permit and a host of triggerfish species.

There is no landing strip on Cosmoledo so guests are flown to Astove Island, which is 19 nautical miles away from Cosmoledo. Anglers arrive late afternoon and set sail for Cosmoledo immediately, which takes 2-3 hours.

Unlike Astove, Cosmoledo does not have any purpose built on-site accommodation. Guests are accommodated on a live aboard vessel, the Lonestar, a truly magnificent 85ft sailing catamaran with a 39ft beam, which makes it one of the largest sailing catamarans in the Seychelles. This luxurious vessel was completely refitted in 2015 and features a host of facilities you wouldn’t normally expect on an outbound trip to Cosmoledo Atoll. The Lonestar is stable, spacious and more importantly has a 1,85 metre draft that allows the catamaran to anchor inside the calm waters of Cosmoledo lagoon.

The Alphonse Group of Islands, as well as the atolls of Astove and Cosmoledo, provide the angler with a unique fishing experience of a lifetime. This spectacular wilderness has ten thousand acres of white sand flats, which provide easy wading and world renowned fishing. The diverse and abundant species of fish that surround these waters gives anglers the opportunity to target a myriad different species during their stay.

Keith Rose Innes is the Group Director of Alphonse Fishing Company and when asked “What makes Alphonse Island Fishing Company one of the best fishing destinations in the world?” his reply is full of passion and honesty. “When fishing with Alphonse Fishing Company, you can rest assured that you’re at the best venue, during the best time of the year, and under the watchful eyes of the world’s best fishing guides and captains. Run by fishermen and women for fishermen and women, we understand the difference between a good fishing encounter and a world-class fishing encounter and it is the dedicated team that are full of passion and unrivaled experience that has earned Alphonse Fishing Company its well-deserved and enviable reputation.”

For further information on Alphonse Fishing Company visit www.alphonsefishingco.com or email: reservations2@alphonsefishingco.com